Politics
Attacks: INEC takes final decision on Anambra guber election today
The Independent National Electoral Commission will today hold an emergency security meeting in Abuja to take a final decision on the conduct of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.
There are fears that the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the state may hinder the conduct of the election.
Political parties and candidates have reportedly suspended their campaigns owing to the worsening security situation in the state.
Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Victor Ayodele Aluko, told Daily Trust Monday that the emergency Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security meeting would among others deliberate on the way forward.
Asked if the INEC was considering postponing the election as a result of the insecurity in the state, he said the answer would come after today’s meeting.
INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had last Wednesday expressed fears over the worsening security challenges in the state.
However, politicians and residents of Anambra yesterday expressed hope that the election would hold as planned despite the security challenges in the state.
The director of media in the Andy Uba campaign council, Afam Ogene said the election would hold and the APC was prepared for it.
A director in the campaign organization of the APGA governorship candidate, Charles Soludo, Don Adinuba, said the insecurity would not affect the election.
Adinuba, who is also the Commissioner for Information in the state, said the government was putting measures in place to ensure peaceful conduct of the election.
Similarly, the publicity secretary of the PDP in the state, Nnamdi Nwangwu, said the party was hopeful that the election would hold and was preparing for it.
A resident of Awka, Philip Obasi, said that though there were concerns, the election would go as scheduled.
But Miss. Ngozi Uche, another resident, doubted that the election would hold as non-state actors “continue to decide when people come out and go in.”
The vice president of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Ogene-Okeke, urged the federal and state governments to give the citizens hope of safety.
“Security is the duty of the federal and state governments. They should do the needful by providing security to the people. Nobody is happy that people are being killed every day unchecked. Killing is killing either in Anambra or Zamfara,” he said.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the security challenges in the country
The Commissioner of Police, Tony Olofu, charged his personnel to be firm and resolute inmtaking the battle to the doorstep of the attackers.
Election date shift, tenure extension possible — Lawyers
A lawyer, Tawo Eja Tawo (SAN), said: “INEC still has the powers to shift the election provided it doesn’t clash with the inauguration of the new governor and provided the incumbent governor’s stay does not extend beyond four years.”
For Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, based on Section 180(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the tenure of a governor can be extended for not more than six months in all if there is a situation of war.
“I think after that period, then the speaker of the state assembly takes over for three months renewable for another three months until INEC can conduct an election,” he said.
Another lawyer, David Onyeike, said if the violence escalates, the federal government could declare a state of emergency and appoint an administrator for the state.
Daily Trust
Politics
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Few days after governors on the platform of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) handed down an ultimatum for things to change in the party, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagun has moved against the FCT Minister and his loyal lawmakers, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Damagun in a letter addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dated 13th November 2024 and released on Sunday by the spokesperson of the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere urged the electoral umpire to conduct a bye-election to fill up the 27 seats, they vacated to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Wike has been accused of being behind the crisis in the PDP over his disagreement with the Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara, his successor.
The crisis which started over control of resources divided the party in the state with 27 lawmakers in the state assembly siding Wike and defected to the APC following Wike’s acceptance to serve in the government of the APC.
He has also been accused of working in cahoots with Damagun to damage the PDP by not organising the National Executive Committee which would lead to the acting Chairman’s ouster.
After a series of agitation, the latest being from the PDP Governors’ Forum over the weekend, Damagun has demanded that INEC conduct elections as soon as possible, apparently moving against the FCT minister.
He argued in letter titled, ‘DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE CONDUCT OF FRESH ELECTION IN 27 STATE CONSTITUENCIES OF RIVERS STATE WHICH HAVE BECOME VACANT PURSUANT TO SECTION 109(1)(g) OF THE CONSTITUTION’ that it’s “unlawful” for the 27 members to defect.
READ ALSO:
- Man bags 12-year jail in Lagos for killing his wife
- Man poisons twin daughters, commits suicide after wife abandons him
- Ex-Edo Governor Obaseki on EFCC watch list, faces travel restrictions
The members defected to the APC on December 11, 2023.
Damagun said, going by provisions of the Constitution, the lawmakers are no longer members of the Assembly.
The PDP acting chairman therefore urged the Commission to perform its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting fresh elections to fill the vacancies created in the 27 state constituencies by the unlawful act of the former Assembly members.
Parts of the letter read, “The Leadership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to draw the attention of the Commission to the gross violation of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly following their unlawful defection from our Party, the PDP who sponsored their elections to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday, December 11, 2023.
“The Commission may recall that our Party, the PDP nominated all our 32 State House of Assembly candidates in Rivers State for the 2023 General Election on the 7th of July 2022 via your electronic candidate election nomination portal (See attached acknowledgement).
“The Commission may also recall that following the nomination, the Commission conducted election into the Rivers State House of Assembly on the 18th of March, 2023 and our Party won 32 seats in the state Assembly. The elected State House of Assembly members were inaugurated and sworn-in on June, 2023.
“However, on Monday, 11 December, 2023 a period of just six (6) months after inauguration, 27 out of the 32 members publicly announced their defection from our Party to the All Progressive Congress (APC). This defection is a gross violation of Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended).
“The only two grounds of division and merger provided for in the Constitution that permit such defection are completely non-existent in our political Party. It therefore means that the defections of the 27 members are without lawful excuse and these members have vacated their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly by the operations of Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby demand that the Commission performs its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting a Fresh Election to fill the vacancies created in the 27 State Constituencies by the unlawful act of the Assembly members. Find attached the list of the 27 State Assembly Members and their Constituencies.
“While thanking the Commission for its commitment to deepening democracy in our country, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Politics
Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe
Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe
Nigeria would have been better than what it is currently if Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), had won the 2023 elections, the senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said.
Abaribe, who spoke on ‘Politics Today,’ a Channels Television programme, on Monday, said Obi would not have been as nepotistic as the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“Number one, he would not be as nepotistic as this government; he won’t; it’s not in him. That is just who we are; we feel for the other people.”
The lawmaker called attention to Tinubu’s appointment of four ministers from Ogun alone, noting that many other states have just one.
“I say it, and I don’t think so. We are seeing it everyday. I just gave you one example. How can Ogun state have four ministers? Why does he favour Ogun state? Oyo state has only one minister,” Abaribe said.
”The nepotism of Buhari, which nobody followed, has now deepened under President Tinubu because Buhari did it, and nobody said much. I was the only person shouting.”
He said that rather than waiting for presidents to be fair to the people of the south-east, it is high time people of the zone went back to revamp it, make it more livable, better, and more cohesive.
“It’s obvious that if we continue to look at whoever becomes president, they will look at us and do us right. Apart from Obasanjo and maybe Jonathan, I do not think that we have seen that same type of fairness,” he said.
Politics
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has been tipped for the seat of Lagos governor in the 2027 governorship election.
This was according to a video making the rounds on various social media platforms, which Peoples Gazette saw on Sunday.
The video highlights the president’s son’s biography, focusing on his education, career, and humanitarian activities as a Nigerian. It also documents his involvement in youth development in the country.
This biopic comes on the heels of some groups’ endorsements of Mr Tinubu’s son as a potential successor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027.
READ ALSO:
- Trump to sack 15,000 transgender officers from U.S. military: Report
- 40-foot container falls on car in Lagos
- Policewoman dismissed in Edo threatens to kill children, commit suicide
On Tuesday, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders issued an endorsement in Owerri, Imo, suggesting that the younger Tinubu would be welcomed to contest the governorship seat in Osun or Imo.
He was also endorsed by Friends of Seyi, a group emphasising his vision and intellectual wherewithal to govern the country’s commercial nerve.
APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe, however, described the gale of endorsements as a ploy to undermine the president in a Facebook post.
“Who are these faceless people pushing Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor? This is a needless distraction,” said Mr Igbokwe. “To pull PBAT down is their target. Ruling Lagos is not the job of boys.”
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
-
metro1 day agoBREAKING: Port Harcourt refinery begins operation
-
Sports22 hours agoFrench football star, Paul Pogba’s blackmail trial begin in Paris
-
Business3 days agoJust in: Dangote refinery reduces petrol price for marketers
-
Politics2 days agoLagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
-
Entertainment2 days agoPolygamy best form of marriage for Africa – Okey Bakassi
-
metro2 days ago40-foot container falls on car in Lagos
-
International2 days agoTrump to sack 15,000 transgender officers from U.S. military: Report
-
Education21 hours agoUS University opens 2025 scholarships for international students